This is the eighth posting in a series of postings reflecting on Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Living Buddha, Living Christ (Riverhead Books, 2007; originally published in 1995). The introductory posting, setting the stage for the series, is (here).Mindfulness, according to Thich Nhat Hanh, allows us to see deeply in the reality of things. It awakens us so that even the most apparently mundane activities, such as eating, take on worlds of new meaning. If we eat mindfully, thus, food becomes real in a new way. Eating mindfully recalls communion, or the Holy Eucharist, for him; when Christians take the sacrament mindfully, they become alive in the moment. He writes, "Holy Communion is a strong bell of mindfulness." (page 30) The image of the bell calls to mind Thich Nhat Hanh's practice at his retreat center in southern France, Plum Village, where bells are rung frequently to call the residents to mindfulness. in Plum Village, they don't say that they "ring" a bell but rather that the bell is "invited" to ring.
These observations are themselves a "strong bell of mindfulness" to those of us who take sacrament regularly. It can help us begin communion with an intention to be more present, quieter, and more intentional in the presence of the Table. It encourages us to look beyond the mechanics of how well the pastor "does" the sacrament, or whether or not the organist hits the right notes. It encourages us to put aside the weekday stuff that can get in the way of our worship. It calls us to a renewed experience of communion. Most especially, Thich Nhat Hanh's take on the Lord' Supper reminds us that we don't come to communion to get something from the sacrament but, rather, put aside having, getting, and wanting. We are at the Table to remember Christ deeply and rededicate ourselves to following his Way as best we can. It's not what we get from the sacrament that matters but, rather, what we bring to it in Christian mindfulness. Amen.
